Ready to shake what your mama gave you on the dance floor, but not sure how to make it pop? Booty popping, also known as twerking, is one of the most popular dance moves right now. In fact, “how to twerk” was the one of the most googled tutorials in 2014 and so far, this dance trend shows no signs of fading away.[1] Not only is booty popping fun and sexy, it will also give your legs and butt a real work out. Once you master the basic twerk, try some other variations so you can twerk it up like a pro the next time you find yourself on the dance floor.

Steps

Method1

Learning the Basic Booty Pop

1

Put on comfortable clothing and shoes with traction. While it is definitely possible to booty pop in heels, it may be a good idea as a beginner to wear comfortable shoes with traction or good grip to help you balance.

It might also help to practice in front of a mirror so you can watch your hips as they move.

2

Place your hands on your hips. This will help you control which direction your hips are moving.[2]

Method2

Doing the Wiggle Booty Pop

It may help to stand in front of a mirror to the side you can watch your hips and booty as they move.

If you have access to a wall, it may also be helpful to stand in front of the wall for balance.

2

Lean forward 45 degrees. Keep the weight in your toes.

3

Swivel your hips right to left. You can lift your heels to help you move your hips and keep your hands in front of you or against the wall to help you balance as you lean forward and twist your hips.

4

Continue to twist your hips, swiveling them faster and faster. Isolate the bottom half of your body so you are not moving your upper body at all, just your hips, legs, and booty.

Shift your weight back and forth on your toes, twisting your hips, until you get a nice shake to your booty.

Turn on some good booty shaking music and try out your new dance move.

Method3

Doing the Handstand Booty Pop

1

Stand in front of a wall with your feet shoulder width apart. You should be facing away from the wall. Make sure you have enough wall space to put your legs on the wall.[6]

Keep in mind this is a more advanced booty pop variation, so be sure to practice the basic booty pop first before trying out this variation.

2

Bend down and place your hands directly in front of you on the floor. Keep your legs slightly bent. Your booty should now be against the wall or a few inches away from the wall.

3

Lean forward and place your weight on your hands. Lift one leg up and crawl it up the wall.

4

Press your leg against the wall and make sure you have a good grip on the wall with your foot. Then, slowly crawl your other leg up the wall. You should now be upside down with both legs against the wall.

Keep your legs shoulder width apart on the wall.

Press into your palms to help maintain your balance.

5

Come onto your toes. Using the wall for balance, arch your lower back so your hips move forward and up and then hollow out your lower back so your hips move in and down.

Continue pushing your hips forward and up and then in and down to get a good upside down booty pop.

6

Speed up the booty pop. Once you feel comfortable twerking upside down, speed up the booty pop and allow gravity to do most of the work for you as you move your hips forward and up and then in and down.

Come out of the handstand booty pop slowly and carefully. Once you’ve had your fill of upside down booty pops and/or your arms start to get tired from booty shaking, lower one leg down to the ground first and then lower the other leg down to the ground.

Bend your legs and lift your upper body up slowly so you are back in the standing position.

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Tips

Just like any dance move, your body will likely move differently than other people’s bodies, so don’t be too concerned about looking exactly like everyone else booty popping on the dance floor. Focus on getting comfortable with the way your body moves and don’t be afraid to make the booty pop your own by moving your hands or flipping your hair around. Have fun and enjoy yourself!

Warnings

If your legs start to burn after an extensive booty popping session, don’t be alarmed. Booty popping is actually a very intense workout for your obliques, quads, and glutes[7], so take breaks or a rest to give your muscles, and your booty, time to recover.